Bideawee Set to Shut Shelter
by Laura Schofer
Originally published in the 2009 February 26 edition of The
Wantagh-Seaford Citizen.
Published online with kind permission from our friends at The Citizen.
No one seems to be safe from Wall Street’s meltdown. Bideawee, the animal
welfare organization, will close its Wantagh Adoption Center on Beltagh
Avenue on March 8 because donations and revenues have fallen since last
October, thus making the center too expensive to operate.
![](../images/article/bide-a-wee-adoption-center.jpg)
Bideawee plans to close
its Wantagh Adoption Center on 2009 March 8 |
The Manhattan and Westhampton Adoption Centers will remain open Bideawee
will continue to provide programs and a monthly adoption day on selected
Saturdays at the Wantagh Center.
According to a press release issued by Bideawee, 1,700 pets are adopted from
its three facilities annually. Last year there were 700 adoptions in the
Wantagh facility, 700 in Manhattan and 300 in the Westhampton facility.
However, Nancy Taylor, president and CEO of Bideawee, said Bideawee will
save $2 million annually by closing the Wantagh facility. “Revenue from the
Wantagh Adoption Center was $126,000 [annually]. The care for the animals
and their medical services is very expensive,” she said.
Twenty-three employees will lose their jobs when the Wantagh Adoption Center
closes. An additional 13 positions were eliminated from the Manhattan and
Westhampton facilities. “This was not a choice we wanted to make. The board
analyzed all our businesses and modeled every scenario. This is the one that
made the most sense,” said Ms. Taylor.
There are 83 pets – 23 dogs and 57 cats – waiting for adoption at the
Wantagh Center. By March 8, Bideawee anticipates that 50 animals will remain
in Wantagh that will need to be moved to either the Manhattan or Westhampton
facilities.
![](../images/article/quote_start.gif) |
This was not a choice we wanted to make. |
![](../images/article/quote_end.gif) |
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Nancy Taylor
President and CEO of Bideawee |
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Bideawee owns the Wantagh facility on Beltagh Avenue, which it plans to
keep. “We’re going to continue to offer a number of programs,” said Ms.
Taylor, including animal behavior and training classes, pet therapy, reading
to dogs, bereavement counseling groups and public education programs. The
Pet Memorial Park in Wantagh will provide burial and cremation services.
Still, many residents are unhappy about the closure. Rebecca Beal, a
volunteer at the Bideawee Wantagh Adoption facility, fondly remembers how
her parents would take her to the center on weekends to visit the dogs and
cats. “This just breaks my heart,” wrote Ms. Beal in an e-mail to this
paper.
Volunteer Dale Smith wrote, “This is a no kill shelter and has been for
many, many years. We don’t need to keep the learning center open, instead we
need to keep the shelter open.” Bruce Massie also wrote to this paper. “As a
volunteer ‘dog walker’ at this shelter I have seen firsthand the impact this
shelter has made on the lives of animals and residents of this area of Long
Island. I’ve seen the care and compassion displayed by everyone who works
there. I have seen each animal treated with respect and gentleness. This
shelter has always been there to help the residents of Long Island by
accepting their surrendered animals and by finding new forever homes for
those unfortunate pets.”
In closing Ms. Taylor stated in a press release, “Bideawee, like other
organizations today, must make changes to align its expenses with
new-reality revenues, while at the same time ensuring that we are operating
with the upmost efficiencies for meeting the needs of adoptive pet owners
and pet lovers going forward. “Everyone at Bideawee, including our board,
the management team, our dedicated staff and wonderful volunteers remain
fully committed to upholding the highest standards for animal care,” she
added. |